


hidden in the night

by amybri2002



Series: soulmate september [17]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Human AU, M/M, Soulmate AU, brief discussion of an abusive relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:09:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26514985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amybri2002/pseuds/amybri2002
Summary: Janus finds a man crying on a bench in the middle of the night, and attempts to help him.
Relationships: Deceit | Janus Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders
Series: soulmate september [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1905379
Comments: 5
Kudos: 114





	hidden in the night

**Author's Note:**

> prompt: everyone has heterochromia, one eye is your natural colour the other is your soulmate’s natural colour. once you meet all eyes return to natural colour.

Janus stared into the mirror, feeling around his eye and trying not to cry. This usually wouldn’t affect him so much, as he was used to seeing himself like this, he’d looked like this his entire life, but earlier that day someone had... said some things, which he’d rather not think about, but still couldn’t stop thinking about the emotions it left him with.

It wasn’t rare to see someone with two different eyes colours, of course. That was the way of the universe - your eyes would return to normal upon meeting your soulmate, and everyone would then know that you’ve found love. At Janus’ age, it wasn’t rare to receive pitiful looks, people sad that he’d yet to find love, but... well, he wasn’t all that bothered about finding his soulmate, those kind of looks never really hurt. It was the other ones that scared him more.

The looks of disgust at the red birthmark around his eyes, almost like a burn scar, staining him like blood. The pale green eyes within only made it worse, standing out, piercing. That was what he hated - when people were scared of him. 

The looks that he hated the most were the ones when he couldn’t tell a difference. Couldn’t tell whether a person was pitying him for not having yet found his soulmate, or whether they thought the mark was a scar, something unnatural. He couldn’t tell them that he’d had it his whole life, that was how he was born. Instead he’d just glare at them until they looked away, whilst screaming inside, screaming in pain.

It was the dead of night when he left his apartment, for a midnight stroll around his local park. It had gotten to a point where he didn’t care all that much about his own safety at night - he knew enough self defence that he could get himself out of a bad situation if needed, although wasn’t sure if he’d care enough to fight back. Midnight strolls were nice, he had decided - the cool breeze, the quiet air, the empty streets, invisibility, invincibility.

What he hadn’t expected was to find a crying guy sat on a bench in the park. He couldn’t see him all too well, with no real source of light around, but could hear him perfectly, and the man seemed to sense him approach, stopping his crying for a moment. 

“Are you alright, my dear?” Janus asked quietly, his voice smooth.

The man sniffled. “Who are you?”

“I’m Janus,” he introduced. “I live in the apartments just near the park. Are you okay?” There was a long, long silence, before the man shuffled to the side, and Janus sat down. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“I’m Patton,” the man introduced. “I... Sorry, I didn’t think anyone would be out here.”

“Usually, there isn’t,” Janus said, with a small chuckle. Patton huffed back in response, as though he was trying to laugh, desperately trying to feel better. “Why are you here?”

Silence again, before a sigh. “I ran out on my boyfriend. He’s... He’s not my soulmate, but we’ve been together for a few months now, and... I don’t know, I was scared.”

Janus frowned. “Did he hurt you?”

“No.” And then, barely above a whisper, “Not yet.”

Janus felt a twang of sympathy, and it took all of his strength not to hug Patton then and there. It wasn’t his place to do that, Patton barely knew him. Instead, he needed to make sure that Patton was safe. He could tell that Patton was genuine, he wasn’t lying about his situation, he wasn’t a threat in any way. It was something in his tone, a sort of resignation, of fragility, of uncertainty, of fear.

“Is there anywhere you can go?” Janus asked. “I could escort you, if it makes you feel safer.” 

Patton shook his head. “I- I haven’t spoken to my friends in a while, I don’t even know how to contact them. Or where they are.”

“Okay.” Janus closed his eyes for a moment, trying to formulate a plan. “How about you stay at mine for the night? We can look for your friends in the morning.”

Patton twitched uncomfortably in his seat. “You’re not... going to kidnap me, are you?”

“If I was going to kidnap you, I don’t think I’d tell you that.”

“So... how am I meant to trust you?”

“Let me ask you this-“ Janus twisted his body around to face Patton - although, in the darkness, that didn’t exactly achieve much. “-how am I supposed to trust you?”

Silence again, then a giggle. “Yeah, I... I mean, it’s not like I have anything left to lose.”

Janus smiled at him - again, lost in the darkness - before standing up and offering out a hand. After Patton took it, he lead him back to his own home, set up in his bedroom (Janus taking the couch himself, thinking that Patton probably needed a better rest than he did) and went to sleep.

When he awoke the next morning and went to the bathroom, he’ll admit that he freaked out just a little. The green eye was completely gone, to be replaced with a brown eye, and...

Oh. Oh, this-

Having a brown eye didn’t make the birthmark much better, to be fair. It did, however, show that something had happened last night. Something special.

Patton.

Patton was his soulmate.

That...

Wow.

He went into the kitchen and began to prepare a breakfast, ready for when Patton woke up. This shouldn’t be that hard of a conversation, and if Patton wanted to leave anyway, that was fine. 

Almost as soon as Janus finished up making some pancakes, Patton came out the bedroom, freezing upon seeing Janus. Janus gave him a weak smile and motioned for him to join him in the kitchen, handing him a plate once he sat down at the table.

There was an awkward silence for a few moments, before Patton quietly asked, “What’s that?” whilst gesturing to his face.

Janus sighed. Yeah, he should have anticipated that question. “It’s a birthmark. Sorry if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“No, no, there’s nothing wrong with it!” Patton reassured him, and then added, much more quietly, “I was just curious.”

A smile grew across Janus’ face. That... That was the nicest interaction he’d ever had in regards to his birthmark, and... He cleared his throat. “Have you looked in the mirror yet today, Patton?” He needed to get the soulmate conversation out the way, but didn’t want to state it outright, just in case he was wrong. He hadn’t been able to see Patton’s eyes the previous night, so it was possibly he had already met his soulmate.

Patton shook his head. “No? Why, is there something wrong?”

“No, there’s nothing wrong, I just...” How was he supposed to say this, especially after what Patton had just been through? “My eyes weren’t both brown yesterday.”

It took a moment for that statement to click, before Patton’s eyes widened, and he rushed into the bathroom, coming out a moment later looking like he was in shock. “You-“

“You don’t have to say it if you don’t want to,” Janus said. “I’m happy if you don’t want to pursue anything, even if you never want to see me again-“

“Are you kidding me?” Now, it was Janus’ time to look shocked. “You helped me last night, I’m not going to leave you forever. I...” A pause. “Okay, yeah, I’m not ready to pursue anything just yet, but... thank you.”

Janus relaxed, as Patton sat back down. “It’s alright. If- If you still need a place to stay, I’m happy for you to live here for a while.”

Patton smiled. “Thank you. Again.”

“Really, Patton, it’s okay. As long as you’re safe.”


End file.
